Trypophobia is an aversion to the sight of repetitive patterns, or clusters, of small holes or bumps.[3][4][5] Although not clinically recognized as a separate mental or emotional disorder, trypophobia may fall under the category of ‘specific phobia’ in cases where it causes excessive fear or distress.[1][4] Sufferers often primarily experience disgust when they see trypophobic imagery, although some experience equal levels of both fear and disgust.[4]
How does it manifest for you? What sets it off? How strong is the distress? I’m curious how common it is amongst Dopers.
I have it and have been aware of it since I was a kid. I remember being uncomfortable with a seed plant similar to the one in the wiki article. It wasn’t until ~15 years ago that I ran across the Wikipedia article and realized it wasn’t just me.
It is interesting what sets it off and what doesn’t as well as how uncomfortable it makes me feel. Sometimes it isn’t even a negative feeling; similar to how a jump scare in a movie may not be negative.
I’ve noticed that this is key (the things have to have well-defined with contrasting boundaries):
images that present high-contrast energy at low and mid-range spatial frequencies
I’ve also noticed that AI images tend to set it off more; I think because they tend to be idealized with high contrast. I ran into an image on LinkedIn, of all places, that is still bothering me a day later.
The Wiki page says that it might be related to aversion to certain disease symptoms. I can certainly imagine, for instance, insects whose larvae burrow into skin, which might produce an effect like that, and of course revulsion to such insects and the damage they do is perfectly rational.
I have a touch of it. It sets off more of an unsettling feeling than anything. No fear, increased heart rate or anything; I just have to look away. In the same vein, I don’t like images of things growing out of other things when they shouldn’t be. That’s not the best explanation but if you are similarly afflicted, you know what I mean.
I don’t object to circles themselves, but I do object to wounds that appear as many circles. Like shotgun blast wounds where it is many circles caused by the pellets. Thankfully, of course, I almost never have to see such images.
Yeah I really dislike seeing small clusters of holes in seed pods and dirt and stuff like that. It makes me have an urge to just crush it and smush it all together.
I noticed in the article that “exposure therapy” is often effective. If that’s the case, just drive them around on Chicago streets. That might cure them.
I’ve heard that it’s connected with poisonous plants, some of which have that appearance. Those early humans who had an ‘ew’ response lived to reproduce themselves.
For me at least, it’s patterns of holes in things that shouldn’t have them that trigger it.
The only thing you mentioned with regular patterns of holes is a honeycomb, and it doesn’t bother me. And a honeycomb also is mostly holes, like a chickenwire fence. Not a thing with holes; it is holes.
Lotus root though is kind of weird when cut in cross section. Not enough to be creepy to me but enough to just seem not right.
